Oscar Pistorius, South African track-and-field sprinter and bilateral below-the-knee amputee who, at the 2012 London Games, became the first amputee to compete in an Olympic track event. He also was the first Paralympian to win a medal in open competition, when he earned a silver medal for his

film noir: The legacy of film noir: Ridley Scott’s science-fiction drama Blade Runner (1982) revisited the use of set design to enhance the mood, an idea that can be traced back to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Richard Tuggle’s Tightrope (1984) features film noir’s theme of disillusionment in a police officer who discovers he is as…

Harrison Ford: He then starred in Blade Runner 2049 (2017), a sequel to the 1982 classic. Ford later lent his voice to the animated comedy The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019) and appeared in The Call of the Wild (2020), which was based on Jack London’s classic novel.

human evolution: Refinements in tool design: …by frequencies of reshaped flakes, blades, scrapers, hand axes, and other tools. Projectile points began to be emphasized in some regions, with bone being used as well as stone; bone arrow points dating to more than 60,000 years ago have been found at Sibudu Cave in South Africa.

rocket and missile system: The 19th century: At the Battle of Bladensburg (August 24) the use of rockets assisted British forces to turn the flank of the American troops defending Washington, D.C. As a result, the British were able to capture the city. In September the British forces attempted to capture Fort McHenry, which…

Rubén Blades, Panamanian musician, actor, and political activist who was one of the most successful and influential salsa musicians of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Blades was born into a musically inclined family. His father, who was born in Colombia but raised in Panama, was a police

Rubén Blades, Panamanian musician, actor, and political activist who was one of the most successful and influential salsa musicians of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Blades was born into a musically inclined family. His father, who was born in Colombia but raised in Panama, was a police

Cogon grass, (Imperata cylindrica), species of perennial grass in the family Poaceae, native to temperate and tropical regions of the Old World. Cogon grass is a serious weed in cultivated areas of South Africa and Australia and is considered an invasive species in many areas outside its native

baseball: The pitching repertoire: …popularized in the 1920s by George Blaeholder, who otherwise had an undistinguished major league career. The slider is a cross between the fastball and the curve and involves the best features of both. It is thrown with the speed and the pitching motion of the fastball, but, instead of the…

Blaenau Gwent, county borough, southeastern Wales. It covers an area of deep valleys and plateau uplands on the eastern rim of the historic South Wales coalfield. Blaenau Gwent lies almost entirely within the historic county of Monmouthshire, but the community of Brynmawr in the northeast belongs

astronomical map: New constellations: 16th–20th century: …1603 on the globe of Willem Blaeu and on a single plate in the Uranometria of Johann Bayer. The Uranometria, the first serious star atlas, has a plate for each of the 48 traditional figures. Its scientific integrity rests on Tycho Brahe’s newly determined stellar positions and magnitudes (see below…

Romanian literature: Between the wars: Poet and essayist Lucian Blaga attempted to provide a philosophical foundation for the description of Romanian national characteristics, partly determined by geographical conditions, while Gala Galaction translated the Bible and wrote novels on biblical subjects.

John Evelyn: …a paternal affection for Margaret Blagge, a maid of honour at court, who later secretly married Sidney Godolphin, future lord high treasurer. She died after giving birth to a child in 1678; Evelyn’s Life of Mrs. Godolphin (1847; ed. H. Sampson, 1939), is one of the most moving of 17th-century…

Bulgaria: Bulgaria at the end of the 19th century: …the first, led by schoolteacher Dimit?r Blagoev, echoed to a great extent the spreading socialist ideas in Europe and Russia (Blagoev himself had studied in Russia), the Agrarian Union was somewhat unique. Established in 1899, it gained popularity among peasants as well as among educated people who maintained their roots…

Blagoevgrad, town, southwestern Bulgaria, in the Struma River valley. An ancient Thracian settlement, Scaptopara, existed around its warm mineral springs, which still function as a spa. During the Turkish occupation (1396–1878), the town was called Dzhumaya (D?umaja), later Gorna Dzhumaya; it was

Roland Burris: Rod Blagojevich. Before the appointment could be made, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald filed criminal charges against Blagojevich, alleging, among other things, that he had solicited donations from potential candidates in a “pay for play” scheme. Nevertheless, on Dec. 30, 2008, Blagojevich appointed Burris to serve…

Blagoveshchensk, city and administrative centre, Amur oblast (province), far eastern Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Amur and Zeya rivers. Founded in 1856 as a fort, Blagoveshchensk has become a major centre of the Russian Far East. Although remotely located, the city has good

Blagoveshchensk, city and administrative centre, Amur oblast (province), far eastern Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Amur and Zeya rivers. Founded in 1856 as a fort, Blagoveshchensk has become a major centre of the Russian Far East. Although remotely located, the city has good

Moscow: The Kremlin: Across the square is the Cathedral of the Annunciation, built in 1484–89 by craftsmen from Pskov (though burned in 1547, it was rebuilt in 1562–64). Its cluster of chapels is topped by golden roofs and domes. Inside are a number of early 15th-century icons attributed to Theophanes the Greek and…

Lujza Blaha, Hungarian actress and singer who is associated with the heyday of the népszínm? (Hungarian folk play). Although born into an acting family, the woman known as “the nation’s nightingale” came to fame using the name of her first husband, conductor János Blaha. She began her career in

Manolo Blahnik, Spanish fashion designer best known for his signature line of high-end women’s footwear. Blahnik was born the eldest of two children into an affluent family. His Czech father’s family owned a pharmaceutical firm in Prague, and his Spanish mother’s family owned a banana plantation in

Manolo Blahnik, Spanish fashion designer best known for his signature line of high-end women’s footwear. Blahnik was born the eldest of two children into an affluent family. His Czech father’s family owned a pharmaceutical firm in Prague, and his Spanish mother’s family owned a banana plantation in

biblical literature: Slavic versions: …was that associated principally with Jan Blahoslav. Based on the original languages, it appeared at Kralice in six volumes (1579–93). The Kralice Bible, regarded as the finest extant specimen of classical Czech, became the standard Protestant version.

Red Blaik, American college gridiron football coach whose teams compiled a 166–48–14 record during his tenures as head coach at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. Blaik was a superb athlete at Miami University in Ohio and at West Point,

Red Blaik, American college gridiron football coach whose teams compiled a 166–48–14 record during his tenures as head coach at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. Blaik was a superb athlete at Miami University in Ohio and at West Point,

Jane Currie Blaikie Hoge, American welfare worker and fund-raiser, best remembered for her impressive organizational efforts to provide medical supplies and other material relief to Union soldiers during the Civil War. Jane Blaikie was educated at the Young Ladies’ College in Philadelphia. In 1831

James G. Blaine, a leading Republican politician and diplomat for 25 years (1868–93), who was particularly influential in launching the Pan-American Movement with Latin-American countries. Blaine graduated from Washington (now Washington and Jefferson) College in Washington, Pa., in 1847 and then

James G. Blaine, a leading Republican politician and diplomat for 25 years (1868–93), who was particularly influential in launching the Pan-American Movement with Latin-American countries. Blaine graduated from Washington (now Washington and Jefferson) College in Washington, Pa., in 1847 and then

Vivian Blaine, U.S. actress of stage and screen who was best remembered for her showstopping rendition of "Adelaide’s Lament" in both the Broadway and film productions of Guys and Dolls (b. Nov. 21, 1921--d. Dec. 9,

Geoffrey Blainey, Australian historian, teacher, and writer known for his authoritative texts on Australian economic and social history. Blainey attended Wesley College, Melbourne, and graduated from Queens College of the University of Melbourne and accepted a free-lance writing assignment that

Geoffrey Blainey, Australian historian, teacher, and writer known for his authoritative texts on Australian economic and social history. Blainey attended Wesley College, Melbourne, and graduated from Queens College of the University of Melbourne and accepted a free-lance writing assignment that

artiodactyl: Critical appraisal: It was the French naturalist Henri de Blainville who, at the beginning of the 19th century, first recognized the complete order of artiodactyls as it is accepted today. Nine discrete groups exist among the living forms: pigs, peccaries, hippopotamuses, camels, chevrotains, deer, giraffes, pronghorn, and bovids; their classification presents no…

French and Indian War: Initial hostilities: …governor-general ordered Pierre-Joseph Céloron de Blainville to compel the trading houses in that region to lower the British flags that flew above them. The traders, regarded as trespassers on French lands, were ordered to retreat to the eastern slopes of the Appalachians. This directive did not have the desired effect,…

Blair, county, central Pennsylvania, U.S., located midway between the cities of Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The ridge-and-valley terrain in the east gives way to the Allegheny Mountains in the west. The county is drained by Clover Creek and the Little Juniata and Frankstown Branch Juniata rivers.

Tony Blair, British Labour Party leader who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom (1997–2007). He was the youngest prime minister since 1812 and the longest-serving Labour prime minister, and his 10-year tenure as prime minister was the second longest continuous period (after Margaret

Bonnie Blair, American speed skater who was one of the leading competitors in the sport. She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. Blair came from a family of avid skaters and began entering races when she was four years

Bonnie Blair, American speed skater who was one of the leading competitors in the sport. She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. Blair came from a family of avid skaters and began entering races when she was four years

Cherie Booth, British attorney specializing in issues of public law and human rights, among others. She is also the wife of Tony Blair, who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Booth’s parents, Anthony Booth and Gale Smith, were actors, socialists, and Roman Catholics.

George Orwell, English novelist, essayist, and critic famous for his novels Animal Farm (1945) and Nineteen Eighty-four (1949), the latter a profound anti-utopian novel that examines the dangers of totalitarian rule. Born Eric Arthur Blair, Orwell never entirely abandoned his original name, but his

Francis P. Blair, journalist and longtime Democratic politician who helped form the Republican Party in the 1850s in an effort to stem the expansion of slavery. A loyal supporter of the Democratic leader Andrew Jackson, Blair established in 1830 the Washington Globe, a party organ, and also

Francis P. Blair, journalist and longtime Democratic politician who helped form the Republican Party in the 1850s in an effort to stem the expansion of slavery. A loyal supporter of the Democratic leader Andrew Jackson, Blair established in 1830 the Washington Globe, a party organ, and also

Francis Preston Blair, Jr., Missouri politician of the antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction eras who opposed slavery and secession but later came out against Radical Reconstruction and black suffrage. The son of the political journalist of the same name, Blair grew up in Washington, D.C.,

Henry William Blair, American politician who as a member of Congress pioneered efforts to win federal support for public education. Blair was 2 when his father died and 12 when his mother died. Raised by neighbours on a farm, he attended school sporadically when breaks from farm work permitted. He

Hugh Blair, Scottish minister and university professor, best known for his Sermons, which enjoyed an extraordinary popularity during his lifetime, and for his lectures on rhetoric and the fine arts. In 1730 Blair entered the University of Edinburgh, where he received an M.A. in 1739. His thesis, De

James Blair, clergyman and founder (1693) of the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va., the second oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Blair was ordained in the Church of England (1679) but was deprived of his parish in Edinburgh in 1681 for refusing to take an oath

John Blair, associate justice of the United States Supreme Court (1790–96). A member of one of Virginia’s most prominent landed families and a close friend of George Washington, Blair studied law at the Middle Temple in London and in 1766 was elected to represent William and Mary College in the

Robert Blair, Scottish poet remembered for a single poem, The Grave, which was influential in giving rise to the graveyard school (q.v.) of poetry. Educated in Edinburgh and Holland, Blair was ordained in 1731 and appointed to Athelstaneford, East Lothian. He was happily married, had six children,

Tom Petty: …Campbell and Benmont Tench, joined Ron Blair and Stan Lynch to form Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The band’s eponymous debut album, released in 1976, initially caused little stir in the United States, but the single “Breakdown” was a smash in Britain, and, when it was re-released in the U.S.,…

Tony Blair, British Labour Party leader who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom (1997–2007). He was the youngest prime minister since 1812 and the longest-serving Labour prime minister, and his 10-year tenure as prime minister was the second longest continuous period (after Margaret

forestry: Medieval Europe: …forest nursery is that of William Blair, cellarer to the Abbey of Coupar Angus in Scotland, who raised trees to grow in the Highland Forest of Ferter as early as 1460. After the dissolution of the monasteries, many newly rich landowners in Scotland and England found a profitable long-term investment…

oxytocin: The discovery of oxytocin: In 1909 British physician William Blair-Bell noted that a posterior pituitary extract that he called infundibulin could not only facilitate parturition but also control postpartum bleeding. Other researchers subsequently described the stimulation of milk ejection by infundibulin and other extracts of the posterior pituitary.

Blairsville, city, seat (1835) of Union county, northern Georgia, U.S., in the Blue Ridge Mountains, near the Blue Ridge and Nottely dams. Laid out in 1832 on land ceded by the Cherokee Indians, it was a centre for gold-mining activities until 1910. Blairsville lies in a heavily forested area and

Marie-Claire Blais, French-Canadian novelist and poet, known for reporting the bleak inner reality of characters born without hope, their empty lives often played out against a featureless, unnamed landscape. In two early dreamlike novels, La Belle Bête (1959; Mad Shadows) and Tête blanche (1960),

library: The British Library: The BLAISE service (British Library Automated Information Service) offers a cataloging facility to any library wishing to participate, and the Bibliographic Services Division and its predecessor, the British National Bibliography, cooperated closely with the U.S. Library of Congress in the Project for Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC), which…

St. Blaise, ; Western feast day, February 3; Eastern feast day, February 11), early Christian bishop and martyr, one of the most popular medieval saints. He is venerated as the patron saint of sufferers from throat diseases and of wool combers and as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. According to

Herbert Augustus Blaize, Grenadian politician who served as head of government in the 1960s and 1980s. After taking a Law Society correspondence course, Blaize became a solicitor. He entered the legislature in 1957 and was appointed chief minister three years later. In 1961 he was defeated by his

continental slope: The Blake Plateau off the southeastern United States and the continental borderland off southern California are examples of continental slopes separated from continental shelves by plateaus of intermediate depth. Slopes off mountainous coastlines and narrow shelves often have outcrops of rock.

Edward Blake, lawyer and statesman, premier of Ontario (1871–72), and leader of the Canadian Liberal Party (1880–87) who was a recognized authority on the Canadian constitution. Blake was called to the bar in 1856 and created a queen’s counsel in 1864. In 1867 he was elected to both the Ontario

Eubie Blake, American pianist and composer of ragtime music, popular and vaudeville tunes, and scores for musical theatre—most notably Shuffle Along (1921), his groundbreaking collaboration with singer and lyricist Noble Sissle. Blake was raised by parents who were former slaves, and he was

Eugene Carson Blake, churchman and ecumenical leader who was a major figure in American Protestantism during the 1950s and ’60s. Blake was educated at Princeton University (B.A., 1928) and Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.B., 1932). He held Presbyterian pastorates in New York City, in Pasadena,

George Blake, British diplomat and spy for the Soviet Union. After escaping from the Netherlands at the beginning of World War II, Blake served in the Royal Navy until 1948, when he entered the Foreign Office and was appointed vice-consul in Seoul. Blake was interned (1950–53) after North Korean

George Blake, writer whose most interesting books are the novels he wrote about Clydeside shipbuilders. He describes their life with a realism that played a part in overcoming the tendency of Scottish letters toward a sentimental portrayal of the local scene. Blake worked as a journalist and in a

Toe Blake, Canadian ice hockey player and coach who was a strict disciplinarian and brilliant strategist and helped the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) secure 11 Stanley Cup victories, 3 of them as a player and 8 as a coach. Blake joined the Canadiens in 1936 after two

Eubie Blake, American pianist and composer of ragtime music, popular and vaudeville tunes, and scores for musical theatre—most notably Shuffle Along (1921), his groundbreaking collaboration with singer and lyricist Noble Sissle. Blake was raised by parents who were former slaves, and he was

Lillie Devereux Blake, American novelist, essayist, and reformer whose early career as a writer of fiction was succeeded by a zealous activism on behalf of woman suffrage. Elizabeth Devereux grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and in New Haven, Connecticut, was educated in a private school and by

Lyman Reed Blake, American inventor who devised a sewing machine for sewing the soles of shoes to the uppers. At an early age Blake began working for local shoemakers, including his brother, Samuel. He later worked for Isaac M. Singer’s company, setting up sewing machines in shoe factories. In 1856

C. Day-Lewis, one of the leading British poets of the 1930s; he then turned from poetry of left-wing political statement to an individual lyricism expressed in more traditional forms. The son of a clergyman, Day-Lewis was educated at the University of Oxford and taught school until 1935. His

Pop art: …the Britons David Hockney and Peter Blake, among others, were characterized by their portrayal of any and all aspects of popular culture that had a powerful impact on contemporary life; their iconography—taken from television, comic books, movie magazines, and all forms of advertising—was presented emphatically and objectively, without praise or…

In Cold Blood: Perry Edward Smith (played by Robert Blake) and Dick Hickock (Scott Wilson), who had met in prison, break into a Kansas farmhouse that they have been led to believe contains a safe with $10,000 inside. After killing the parents and children, the two ex-cons discover that there is no safe…

Robert Blake, admiral who, as commander of the navy of Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth, became one of the most renowned seamen in English history. The son of a well-to-do merchant, Blake graduated from Oxford University in 1625 and in 1640 was elected to the Short Parliament. His staunch Puritanism

Sir Peter James Blake, New Zealand yachtsman and explorer (born Oct. 1, 1948, Auckland, N.Z.—died Dec. 6, 2001, off Macapá, Braz.), was the winner of the two most important yachting competitions—the Whitbread Round the World Race (1989–90) and the America’s Cup (1995 and 2000)—and in 1994 in the E

Toe Blake, Canadian ice hockey player and coach who was a strict disciplinarian and brilliant strategist and helped the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) secure 11 Stanley Cup victories, 3 of them as a player and 8 as a coach. Blake joined the Canadiens in 1936 after two

surfing: History: In the 1930s American surfer Tom Blake attached plywood over crossbeams to produce a “hollow” board. He also added a fin under the tail, which enabled surfers to better steer their craft. Blake’s primary aim was not to produce a more maneuverable wave-riding board; he wanted a faster board to…

William Blake, English engraver, artist, poet, and visionary, author of exquisite lyrics in Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794) and profound and difficult “prophecies,” such as Visions of the Daughters of Albion (1793), The First Book of Urizen (1794), Milton (1804[–?11]), and

Ralph Albert Blakelock, American painter whose luminous impasto paintings of moonlit scenes convey a mysterious romanticism. In 1864 Blakelock entered the Free Academy of the City of New York (now City College) with hopes of becoming a physician. After three terms, he left. Largely self-taught, he

Sara Blakely, American inventor and entrepreneur who created Spanx, a brand of body-slimming women’s undergarments, and in 2012 became the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire. Blakely graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications. She subsequently held

Arkadelphia, city, seat (1842) of Clark county, south-central Arkansas, U.S., about 29 miles (47 km) south of Hot Springs. It lies along the Ouachita River south of that river’s confluence with the Caddo River, at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. The site was settled in about 1811 by John

Junior Wells, American blues singer and harmonica player (born Dec. 9, 1934, Memphis, Tenn.—died Jan. 15, 1998, Chicago, Ill.), was one of the musicians who introduced electric Chicago blues to international audiences and, from 1965, was one of the most popular of all blues performers. The son of a

Allan Emrys Blakeney, Canadian politician (born Sept. 7, 1925, Bridgewater, N.S.—died April 16, 2011, Saskatoon, Sask.), played a key role in establishing (1962) North America’s first universal health care system. Blakeney, who was then health minister in Saskatchewan, successfully negotiated the

Spencer carbine: With the addition of the Blakeslee cartridge box as an auxiliary, the Spencer carbine had greatly improved capacity for sustained fire. The box contained from 6 to 13 tin tubes, each of which held seven cartridges. The carbine was almost exclusively a cavalry weapon, and it was normally chambered in…

Albert Francis Blakeslee, prominent American botanist and geneticist who achieved world renown for his research on plants. The son of a Methodist minister, Blakeslee was awarded a B.A., cum laude, from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. (1896). After three years of teaching mathematics and

Greymouth, town and port, western South Island, New Zealand. Established in 1863 as a government depot at the mouth of the Grey River, on the north Westland Plain, the settlement grew as the result of local gold finds. Originally known as Crescent City and then Blaketown, it was renamed Greytown

Art Blakey, American drummer and bandleader noted for his extraordinary drum solos, which helped define the offshoot of bebop known as “hard bop” and gave the drums a significant solo status. His style was characterized by thunderous press rolls, cross beats, and drum rolls that began as quiet

Saint Clements Island, islet (40 acres [16 hectares]) in the Potomac River, St. Mary’s county, southern Maryland, U.S., just off Coltons Point. The first Maryland settlers under the Calverts (Barons Baltimore) landed there from the ships Ark and Dove on March 25, 1634. A large cross (erected 1934)

Saint Clements Island, islet (40 acres [16 hectares]) in the Potomac River, St. Mary’s county, southern Maryland, U.S., just off Coltons Point. The first Maryland settlers under the Calverts (Barons Baltimore) landed there from the ships Ark and Dove on March 25, 1634. A large cross (erected 1934)

Alfred Blalock, American surgeon who, with pediatric cardiologist Helen B. Taussig, devised a surgical treatment for infants born with the condition known as the tetralogy of Fallot, or “blue baby” syndrome. After graduating from the University of Georgia in 1918 Blalock entered the Johns Hopkins

Lotte Lenya, Austrian actress-singer who popularized much of the music of her first husband, the composer Kurt Weill, and appeared frequently in the musical dramas of Weill and his longtime collaborator Bertolt Brecht. Lenya studied ballet and drama in Zurich from 1914 to 1920, was a member of the

Krzysztof Kie?lowski: …Bleu (1993; Blue), Blanc (1994; White), and Rouge (1994; Red); respectively, they explored the themes of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The films were released several months apart and, although each can stand on its own, they were designed to be seen as a single entity. One theme, the frailty of…

Dehua porcelain, Chinese porcelain made at Dehua in Fujian province. Although the kiln began production some time during the Song period (960–1279), most examples of the porcelain are attributed to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). The characteristic product of Dehua was the white porcelain known to

Louis Blanc, French utopian socialist, noted for his theory of worker-controlled “social workshops.” Louis Blanc was born while his father was serving as inspector general of finances in the Spanish regime of Joseph Bonaparte. When that regime collapsed in 1813, the Blancs returned to France. Louis

Louis Blanc, French utopian socialist, noted for his theory of worker-controlled “social workshops.” Louis Blanc was born while his father was serving as inspector general of finances in the Spanish regime of Joseph Bonaparte. When that regime collapsed in 1813, the Blancs returned to France. Louis

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